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Carl Frampton latest

Mr Dodds: “Once again the BBC has exemplified its London-centric, anti- regional approach with its nominations for Sports Personality of the Year, with all but two of the nominees from England.

"This in spite of the fact that Carl Frampton from my constituency is widely recognised at the boxer of the year, becoming Northern Ireland’s first double-weight world champion, unifying a world title and defeating a three-weight world champion.

"This decision, and exclusion of other sportsmen and sportswomen from across Northern Ireland, has caused outrage across our communities and has led to ever growing concern with the BBC.

"The BBC has a responsibility to all parts of the United Kingdom who contribute excessively to its funding arrangements and this latest failure has called into question the BBC’s ability to properly fulfil its statutory duties.”

Frampton previously accused the awards' judges of being anti-Northern Ireland and anti-boxing.

He added: "I feel like there's people on that list that I deserved to be on, in front of.

"Andy Murray's going to run away with it, he's going to win it and deservedly so, but I still feel out of the 16 I would like to have got in."

In response, to the Frampton controversy, the BBC said: "In what has been an extraordinary year of sport, many contenders were considered and debated by an expert industry panel, who by consensus agreed on the shortlist."